Don Borden

Client Manager

Early Years: On the 'A' Team

Don grew up in Baltimore County as a super studious brainchild. Her parents like to brag that she earned all As and Bs and boasts a high school/college average 3.7 GPA. Whateva. All she really wanted to do was become a doctor or nurse when she grew up. "I really enjoy helping people in distress," she explains. Instead, she landed a career in insurance. "Well, I am still helping people - a small consulation *Shrug*!"JK- she's a real natural!

What we know about Don: There's a lot to love

Don has a full life and a bevy of interests. These include (but are not limited to) a love for all animals (especially dogs), a passion for art, music, food, and wine ("brunch is always a good idea!"), a love of movies (especially the scary ones) and a penchant for "all things fashion and interior design." She also loves to give back to the less fortunate. "I try to perform one act of service per week - pay a toll, buy a stranger lunch, or volunteer."

But no worries. There?s time for work, too! In fact, our sweet Don boasts a career that spans more than a decade. She joined EBS in September of 2017. Don began her insurance career as a customer service rep in Hoffberger Insurance Agency?s Property Casualty division and then moved to MedChi?s Small Group Account Management team (2011). ?I?m a strong believer in retention and customer satisfaction,? she explains. ?And I love to embrace challenges.?

Fun Facts

Rare Talent: I am artsy and crafty. Ask me to sketch or put anything together - including Ikea Pax Systems

Emily Yeakle

Client Manager

Early Years

Born and raised in Baltimore, Emily went to Notre Dame Prep where she played field hockey and lacrosse. In fact, her love for the game had her planning on playing Division III college lacrosse. But who needs planning when you can follow your ever-changing heart? "At the very last minute, I decided to attend Virginia Tech and become a Hokie." (That's Hokie. Not hooky. Sheesh.) Good strategy, Em! At Virginia Tech, our star wore lots of orange, studied Public Relations and Marketing, and pledged Delta Gamma. (Hoki, Hoki, Hoki, Hy!)

What we know about Emily

Charmer in Charm City.

After graduating from Virginia Tech in 2013 (Sola-Rex, Sola-Rah!), Emily replanted her roots right back in her hometown. Once settled in Locust Point, she ensconced herself in Baltimore life, starting with her first career at an IT staffing industry. After 2 years, Emily left staffing to join a large healthcare company -- and after about a year, landed at EBS as an Account Manager. (Team! Team! Team!)

Fun Facts

Purple passion. I am obsessed with the Ravens and my sorority voted me most likely to marry Ray Lewis.

Pepto-Bismol please! I once won an award for being a human garbage disposal. I can out-eat most people, especially when it comes to Italian food.

Puppy love. I am obsessed with my golden retriever and all golden retrievers.

Kim Cox

Client Manager

The Early Years

Kim grew up in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. The youngest of four children and only girl, she kept very active - playing softball, basketball, and volleyball. Perhaps her biggest love during those years? The Tar Heels! "I was a huge fan.", she admits. "Moving to Baltimore was a bit of a shock. Fans here root for professional teams as opposed to the college sports I grew up loving."

What we know about Kim

All of that Tar Heel loving paid off when Kim entered studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. While there, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Management and Society. And just to keep a great thing going, she is currently studying for her Master's Degree in Public Administration at UNC online.

Flower Girl

Before joining the team at EBS, Kim started as a customer service rep and account manager for Atlantic Packaging in 2012. When she moved to beautiful Baltimore in August 2016, the Tar Heel immersed herself in work as a store manager for Simply Beautiful Flowers.

Khris Wilson

Director of Client Solutions

Early Years:

Khris was born in sunny Manila, Philippines and moved to Baltimore with her family in the early 90s. She attended The Catholic High School of Baltimore and earned her Business degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.

What we know about Khris:

Talk techy to me.

Growing up as a kid, back when Google wasn't a household name yet and dial-up connections were both deafening and slow, Khris embraced the digital media world and began creating her own personal websites and blogs for fun at age 12. Though she has no formal technical education, she carries the same enthusiasm for technology to her new role. She manages clients' onboarding process to various benefit admin platforms from start to finish, primarily the EBS flagship system Maxwell Health, as well as provide internal and external support year round. To clients she is a benefit admin system expert but to her colleagues in the office, she's simply the designated tech guru who can fix wonky Excel spreadsheets and jammed printers from time to time.

Fun Facts

I taught myself English by listening to books on tape.
I may not speak Tagalog anymore but I understand my parents when they talk about me to relatives.

Unique, just like 70 million other people.
A Myers-Briggs certified INFJ, I am among only 1% of the world's population.

I have three dogs.
Wicket the shih-poo, Puddles the cavapoo, and a golden doodle Sperry.

I met my husband in a bar while dressed as Lara Croft.
His female friend agreed to pose as his sister. The truth was revealed on our first date

Keara Cleary

Client Coordinator

The Early Years: Note to Self

Keara is quick to catch on. Raised in Annapolis since age 2, she learned her first valuable life lesson in first grade - and it stuck. "My discipline card was flipped from green (good) to yellow (bad) for passing notes," she explains. "That's when I learned how not to get caught." She never got in trouble at school again.

Her quick reflexes and stealthy athleticism also paid off playing a little lacrosse and soccer year-round. While in high school at St. Mary's, she played volleyball. She also "did a lot of theater - always behind the scenes." Chop, chop, and Keara was off to East Carolina University, where she continued to play soccer, softball, and party- all recreationally. She also earned a greenbelt in Isshinryu karate (watch your step!) - all while graduating in three years with a BS in Communications.

What We Know About Keara: Behind the Talent

Keara's original plan was to work in video production, and she worked as summer intern in the Talent Casting and Voice Over department at Discovery Communications. "It was an amazing opportunity, but after experiencing the corporate world of TV and video production, I realized that it wasn't for me," she says. "Although I enjoy volunteering on smaller local films in my free time." Frankly, we find the fact that Keara has any free time amazing. While working with EBS full-time, she also works part-time as a licensed realtor.

Fun Facts

Bright Lights. I have a credit on IMDB, the film site. Probably the smallest profiles on that site, but it still counts.

Dive Deep. I have my scuba certification and try to go diving at least once a year. My bucket list includes diving with sharks, but finding a dive buddy to go with me isn't easy!

"Spare" Time. I took a bowling class in college. I'm pretty sure I only passed because the teacher felt bad, so please don't ask me to join your bowling league.

Google It. Google my name. I'm either the most famous Keara Cleary or the only one.

Jordan Sganga

Client Coordinator

The Early Years: Cosmopolitan Kiddo

Jordan earned her love of traveling in childhood. A Navy Brat and eldest of five children (one brother and three step-siblings), she was born in California and has lived in - count 'em - six states. She began her high school career in sunny Orlando but completed it in Maryland. Apparently, she pitched herself as an excellent softball player, earning a scholarship to attend UMBC where she majored in Psychology and minored in Sociology. Analysis tells us it was a great start to a people-oriented career!

What we know about Jordan: The Odyssey continues

2016saw Jordan graduate and begin her career in IT staffing. She joined EBS in 2017. Never one to sit still for long, her free time is spent huffing and puffing - working out, playing softball and football, and even bowling in a league with her dad, granddad, and boyfriend. Still, what is life without a little twang? Jordan spends her passive energy soaking in the music that speaks to her most - Country! And there's always an occasion to play a little Eminem and "anything with a beat I can nod to."

True to her gypsy roots, she has visited 21 states to date and her lifetime goal is to experience all 50.

Fun Facts

Music In Her Genes: I was a band nerd from 6th to 10th grade. Yep, I wore the very attractive band uniform at high school football games.

She Dives In-Hard: I've been Skydiving and would love to go rocky mountain climbing.

Lauren Burk

Client Coordinator

Early Years: Girl Next Door

Lauren lived in the same house in a small town outside of Baltimore since birth. "It's the type of town where everyone knows everyone." Lauren went on to don the Catonsville High Comets uniform, playing lacrosse her freshman and sophomore years and field hockey all 4 years. At Salisbury University, Lauren juggled a major in psychology, intramural field hockey and softball, and a whole lot of (a-hem!) "study time" at her family's nearby Ocean City condo. However, our Lauren is not one to build sandcastles in the air. To prepare for the global stage, she studied in Edinburgh, Scotland during her last college semester. "It's the coolest city ever!" She also studied in Barcelona, Spain while in grad school.

What we know about Lauren: Industrial Strength

Undergraduate degree in hand, Lauren set her sights even higher. "The best decision I ever made was to pursue a Master of Science degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the University of Baltimore," she explains. She received a fellowship with the Schaefer Center for Public Policy at UB and worked there part-time while a full-time student. "It was exhausting, challenging, and worth it," she notes. "I see such potential between employee benefits and IO psychology here at EBS."

Fun Facts

The Travel Continues: I've traveled to 6 countries and in 2016 went to Banff National Park in Canada and Glacier National Park in Montana. They were the most beautiful places I've ever seen.

Sing It Loud: I used to write my own songs and sing them at coffee houses...that was my chance to become famous!

The Fire Within: I Love camping! We had a huge family/friend camping trip every year for 16 years but stopped due to a change in the drinking law in Maryland State Parks. This year, we're toting our coolers to West Virginia!

New Wave: The guys in my family are all surfers and so was I when I was younger. I stopped after an accident 4 years ago. But at least I caught the wave!

Sarah Ehrlich

Client Manager

Early Years: A Mid-Atlantic Girl

Born in Arlington, Sarah's family moved to Laurel before settling in Shrewsbury, PA when she was 10. Except for a brief stint in Cockeysville from 2009-2012, "I've lived in PA ever since. I had not even flown on a plane until my honeymoon to Orlando!" Since then, she's traveled to Florida, Maine, Nevada and Mexico. Although a clarinet, soccer, gymnastics and color guard member in high school, she happily prefers books and numbers. "My youth was spent studying." No wonder she graduated with a 4.2 GPA (4 out of 250 in her class!). Sarah earned her BS in Economics from Penn State.

What we know about Sarah

Being smart has its benefits

After ten years helping her clients get the most out of their benefits - two with Crawford Advisors and eight years with The Warner Companies - EBS swooped Sarah up. "I have a passion for manipulating numbers and data to create solutions for our clients," she admits. She's also addicted to Red Bull (a great start to any morning)! But the great love of her life is daughter, Zoe (7 months at the time of this writing). There is simply not enough storage in her cell phone to store the photos!

Sarah earned her Group Benefits Associate (GBA) designation and is presently studying for her Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) certificate.

Fun Facts

Pizza Queen. My husband and I ate so much pizza in 2011 that Papa John's sent us a free copy of Madden NFL 12 for the PS3.

Her Life is Magical. I'm a huge Harry Potter fan. My house is Slytherin and my Patronus is a King COBRA.

Film Geek. Huge cinephiles, my husband and I recite quotes from our favorite movies to each other.

No Achy Breaky . . . Anything! I've never broken a bone and I still have all four of my wisdom teeth.

Sam Wheeless

Client Manager

Early years: Down on the farm

Born and raised in Maryland, Sam has lived in Baltimore and Monkton, where she grew up on a horse farm. Ah, the days of swimming and horseback riding! Don't fool yourself, though. The two sports take a lot of discipline and commitment, which Sam put to good use during her Business Management studies at Loyola University. As if that wasn't enough of a workload, this go-getter also seamlessly juggled college life and earning her BAA with work as a manager at a Mexican restaurant! ĦAy, caramba!

What we know about Sam: Her interests get interesting!

Prior to joining EBS, Sam was an account manager at The Warner Companies. She is an animal lover who volunteers at Baltimore County Animal Services. Sam loves memoirs (especially those written by David Sedaris). Not enough for you? She also makes a mean veal marsala! Sam enjoys cooking, trying out new restaurants, hiking and going to Spin class. Her love of high heels sends her tall frame into the clouds! Just don't talk to her before she's had her morning diet coke - Sam is so not a morning person!

Fun Facts

Travel Notes. I got my ears pierced in Brazil and traveled to Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Costa Rica last year.

Big Lug. I love big dogs (Rottweilers, Pit bulls, you name it)!

When Holidays are Beastly. My last dog was a Rottweiler named Merry Christmas (We called her Chrissy).

As employee benefits brokers, our core competency is to provide you access to medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and other insurance products. We help you navigate employee benefits through automated technologies that streamline and automate the process, such as integrated payroll, enrollment platforms, benefits administration, and Human Resource Information Systems. We keep you out of the penalty zone by advising you and providing solutions to meet your ERISA and Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements, including reporting and distributing notices. We protect your bottom line by providing financially-focused and strategic planning, cost containment strategies, and risk management. We back all of this up with incredible customer service that is with you every step of the way. We are Employee Benefit Services. We are easier, better, smarter.